Cancer causing chemicals in personal care products

(NaturalHealth365) Today, fragrances are approximately 95-100% synthetic. These synthetics are derived from crude oil or turpentine oil. Can you imagine what beauty-conscious women would say – if they were informed about these cancer-causing chemicals – before their purchase?

This is just the base of the scent – the other items, identified by an EPA study, include numerous carcinogenic chemicals, neurotoxins, respiratory irritants, solvents, hundreds of unregulated petrochemicals, phthalates, hormone disrupters and narcotics! (how sick is that?!)

Should we jail the makers of these ingredients?

The numerous chemicals – commonly used in fragrance products – include acetone, benzaldehyde, benzyl, acetate, benzyl alcohol, camphor, ethanol, ethyl acetate, limonene, linalool, and methylene chloride. By the way, methylene chloride is also found in pesticides and septic tank cleaners. Does this sound like something to make us better looking and more appealing?

These toxic substances, in combination with one another, cause central nervous disorders, irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs, GI tract, kidney damage and are a proven carcinogen.

One of the sickest ‘beauty’ ingredients, toluene (methyl benzene), was detected in fragrance samples and collected by the EPA in 1991. And, yes, toluene is a hazardous waste product – which is flammable and volatile.

The (legal) sale of toluene is a crime against humanity

Toluene attacks the central nervous system, blood, liver, kidneys, eyes, and skin, and it serves as an asthma trigger. Environmental physicians warn that these toxic chemicals have been reported to increase the proliferation of estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cells.

The fragrance industry is slowly killing its customers

The fragrance industry is primarily self-regulated and ingredients aren’t required to be disclosed even to regulatory agencies. It’s quite obvious – fragrances are a low priority among these so-called ‘safety’ government agencies.

Compliance isn’t monitored and there aren’t any enforcement laws in place. More than 80 percent of the chemicals – known to exist – have never been tested to see if they are a known poison.

In addition, fragrances are considered ‘trade secrets’ and fragrance companies are very secretive. On most products you will see the word ‘fragrance’, and since fragrance is considered a specific ingredient – the hundreds of chemicals used to make that scent do not have to be disclosed.

Shocking statistic! The fragrance industry uses well over 5,000 different ingredients, and only about 1,300 have been tested.

Also, if you purchase fragrance free or unscented conventional products they most likely contain a ‘masking’ fragrance to cover up the chemical odors of the product. For example, ‘Tide Free’ claims to be free of perfumes and dyes, but contains a masking fragrance (perfume).

The Institute of Medicine placed fragrances in the same category as second hand smoke in triggering asthma in adults and school age children.

Making $$$ while people suffer

The men’s personal care market is expected to reach $3.9 billion this year and has grown 15% since 2008. These products come in gels, creams, liquids, sticks lotions, spray and roll on. By entering the body pores and lungs – this process overburdens the immune system and helps to create disease.

In the United States, the market for fragrances and perfumes could be over $33 billion – by the year 2015. The worldwide market for air fresheners is expected to reach 8.2 billion by 2015.

The fragrance industry is a perfect example of profits over people.

The toxic chemicals released by air fresheners – especially those with pine, orange and lemon scents – are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are linked to a wide range of health problems when inhaled – even at low concentrations.

Common sense would say the price in too high for us to allow smelly products to destroy human health. We must demand full disclosure from our product suppliers. If they are unwilling to provide detailed information about their products – stop buying them. Maybe then – they’ll get the message.

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Reaching hundreds of thousands of people, worldwide, as a personal health consultant, writer and radio talk show host – Jonathan has been educating the public on the health benefits of an organic (non-GMO) diet along with high-quality supplementation and healthy lifestyle habits including exercise and meditation.